Newly discovered epigenetic mechanism contributes to plants’ decision to flower

_{Denyse O'Leary

December 24, 2016

Epigenetics, News}

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When spring is approaching, how do plants decide that it is time to flower? A team of plant scientists led by KWAK June M. at the Center for Plant Aging Research, within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) unravelled a new mechanism to explain this seemingly easy, but actually complicated question. Their research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on November 11, 2016.

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Epigenetic regulation is one of the major mechanisms to control flowering time. It regulates gene expression through chemical modifications of DNA and its interacting proteins, but without changing the DNA sequence. If you think of the DNA contained in each cell as a big book that contains all the information, these chemical modifications can be thought as bookmarks that tell the cell which pages to read and which to skip over time. A particular type of chemical modification called acetylation, occurring on DNA bounded proteins (histones), can be promoted or removed by specific proteins. Arabidopsis has at least 18 proteins that remove these chemical modifications and are referred to as histone deacetylases (HDACs). Which are the targets of HDACs, how they coordinate with each other and how they interact with other proteins is still unclear. This study discovered the proteins that interact to one of these chemical modifications that controls the time of flowering. More.

Darwinists: Merry Christmas. Go home.

See also: Researchers: Epigenetics helps cells remember who they are

and

Epigenetic change: Lamarck, wake up, you’re wanted in the conference room!

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Comments

It doesn't make any sense whatsoever that the epigenetics would be responsive to environment, but that the DNA itself cannot be changed in response to the environment. It can only be that the DNA system itself is what harbors the basics of autonomy for an organism. It is a world in it's own right, like human imagination is a world in it's own right. And in this world the organism can be intelligently designed in a reasoned and informed way.mohammadnursyamsu_{December 27, 2016
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Psalm 139: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.ayearningforpublius_{December 26, 2016
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In my working days we built a complex distributed system consisting of 4 subsystems distributed over a large geographical space, interconnected with data links and including a subsystem containing a multitude of fast moving and maneuvering jet fighter aircraft. In constructing these systems, we used a process called ‘Engineering Release (ER)’ where the various components of each subsystem, as well as the subsystems themselves, were released to manufacturing via a series of ‘Shop Travelers.’ These travelers contained detailed instructions on how the components were to be manufactured and assembled as well as a detailed parts list. When the manufacturing process was complete, the various components and subsystems were integrated and tested in a lab setting, and then deployed and tested on site for use by fighter squadrons. Preceding all this of course was the necessary design work – a goal oriented, purposeful and intellectual expression of the vision of those who saw a need for such a system. It would seem that life operates on much the same scheme. A cell contains complete and detailed information describing an end product and the shop travelers that guide that cell to its final use as a heart muscle, bone brain and more. It’s called Intelligent Design (ID), and is the way all complex systems are constructed, whether they be human designed or the natural life we see all around us and within us --- To think otherwise is folly.ayearningforpublius_{December 26, 2016
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http://phys.org/pdf401355732.pdf http://www.pnas.org/content/113/51/14858.fullDionisio_{December 25, 2016
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If you think of the DNA contained in each cell as a big book that contains all the information, these chemical modifications can be thought as bookmarks that tell the cell which pages to read and which to skip over time.
Cool! How are those bookmarks set? How are they interpreted?Dionisio_{December 24, 2016
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